Shoe form



I Aug. 4, 1931. w. J. DE wrr'r SHOE FORM Filed Dec.

has wrvzga' Patented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. DE WITT, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SHOE FORM 00., INC., OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SHOE FORM Application filed December 21, 1929. Serial No. 415,841.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe forms and more particularly in a shoe form of the expansible type comprising a toe member and a pivotally mounted crossbar by which the walls of the form may be expanded to plump out the material of the shoe or contracted in order to facilitate the removal of the form.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a shoe form with a crossbar having at its free end an upright portion which passes through a slot in one flange of the toe member and a pointed tip which will engage the insole of the shoe and prevent the unwanted removal of the shoe form. A further object of this'invention is to provide on the slotted flange of the toe member means which will frictionally engage a portion of the crossbar and thereby impede its pivotal movement.

Other objects will appear from a consideration of the following specification taken in connection. with the drawings which form a part thereof and in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 arebottom plan views of two embodiments of this invention;

Figs. 3 and 4t are sectional views of these embodiments taken along the lines 33 of Fig. 1 and 44 of Fig. 2, respectively, and

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are sectional views similar to Figs. 3 and 4: illustrating other embodiments of this invention.

Each of the various embodiments comprises a toe member, the side walls of which terminate in flanges which flanges are connectedby a crossbar. The crossbar is pivotally secured at one end to one flange in any desired manner, but it has been found advantageous to provide a rivet in the flange, the shank of which receives a loop formed at the end of the crossbar. In the other flange of the toe member is provided a slot with which the free end of the crossbar engages and the difference between the various embodiments herein shown and described resides in the manner in which the crossbar is connected to the slotted flange.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the flange 11 of the member 10 is provided with a pair of upright walls 25, 26. The

wall 25 is formed by bending up a portion of the inner edge of the flange 11 and the wall 26 is formed by bending up a portion of the inner edge of the slot 20. The crossbar 15 is pivotally secured to the flange 12 by a rivet 16 about the shank of which is passed a loop 17 formed in one end of the crossbar. At the other end of the crossbar is provided an upright portion 27, a pointed tip 28 and a portion 29 which connects the tip 28 with the upright portion 27. It will be noted that the upright portion 27 and the tip 28 are both substantially at right angles to the connecting portion 29 the upright portion 27 passing upwardly through the slot 20 and the tip 28 passing downwardly below the plane of the flange 12 behind the body of the crossbar 15. The connecting portion 29 is inclined slightly rearwardly with reference to the body of the crossbar and rests upon the upper edges of the walls 25, 26 which thus offer frictional resistance to the pivotal movement of the bar 15.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and et there is formed in the flange 11 of the form 1O one or more upset ridges which, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, are substantially parallel to the slot 20". The free end of the crossbar 15 is similar in construction to the crossbar 15 having an uprightportion 27 which passes upwardly through the slot 20 a pointed tip 28 which passes downwardly beyond the inner edge of the flange 11 and a connecting portion 29 The upright portion 27 and the tip 28" are substantially at right angles to the connecting portion 29 while the portion 29 rests upon the upset ridges 30 and is rearwardly inclined with reference to the body of the bar 15 In Fig. 5 is illustrated another embodiment of this invention wherein the flange 11 of the toe member 10 instead of having the upright walls of the first embodiment or the longitudinally extending ridges of the second embodiment is provided with a piece 31 which is attached to the upper surface of the flange 11 and which offers a frictional resistance to the movement of the crossbar 15 by: reason of its contact with the conniecting portion 29 of the bar. In this embodiment, as in the other embodiments, the upright portion 27 passes upwardly through the slot 20 and the tip 28, which passes downwardly at the inner edge of the flange, are connected by the portion 29, and are substantially at right angles thereto.

Each of the embodiments thus far described are similar in the construction of the crossbar and differ merely in the manner in which the pivotal movement of the bar is frictionally retarded by the slotted flange.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, however, the flange-11 of the form 10 is provided with a second slot 35 which is preferably arcuate and concentric with the slot 20 The crossbar 15 is provided with an upright portion 27, a pointedtip 28 and a connecting portion 29 The upright portion 27 passes upwardly through the slot 20 and the tip 28 passes downwardly through the slot 35. The portion 27 and tip 28 are each substantially at right angles to the connect ing portion 29 In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 the crossbar 15 is provided wit-h an upright portion 27 which passes through the slot 20 in the flange 11' of the member a pointed tip E28 which passes downwardly beyond the inner edge of the flange 1Z1. and a connecting portion 29 The tip 28 and the upright portion 27 are each substantially at right angles to the connection portion 29 This embodiment differs from those previously de scribed, however, in that the joinder of the upright portion 27 'and the connecting portion 29 is made by means ofacoil or loop 37 which further supplements the yielding action of the 'joinder between these-portions to hold'the tip 28 in the functional position below the surface of the flange.

The crossbar, in each of the embodiments thus far described, extends below the slotted flange of the toe member, the connecting portion extends above a part of-the flange, the upright portion passes upwardly through the slot in the flange, and the pointed tip passes downwardly'and terminates below the flanges of the toe membersothat it' will engage the insole of the shoe into which the form is introduced.

I The embodiment in Fig. '8 is similar in function and purpose to those previously described and the flange 11 of the toe member 5 1O is provided with a slot 20 through which the free end of the crossbar extends. In

theslot is inserted a rivet 40, the shank of which is received within the slot so-that it will reciprocate freely therein. The cross- .bar 15 is provided with a pointed tip'28 which passes through the center'of the rivet 40 and is secured thereto by any suitable means, as,'for instance, soldering or welding indicatedat 41.

ous embodiments the tip of the crossbar extends below the slotted flange of the toe member and that the free end of the crossbar is so formed that the disengagement of the portion thereof which passes through the slot can be obtained onlyby deforming the bar or the flange. It will be further noted that the pointed tip is yieldably held in the engaging position and that after the tip is in engagement with the'insole of a'shoe any attempt to remove the form without first disengaging the tip will result in twisting the crossbar and increasing its frictional engagement with the slotted flange.

I claim: I

1. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one endto one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange and is held against removal therefrom, and a pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed.

2. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said neans consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a pointed tip which proj ects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the. insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a ortion extendin over the u) er surface of the flange and connecting said upright portion and said tip. c

'3. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved,'to determine the. distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange andhaving at the other. end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the. other flange, a

pointed'tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending overthe upper surface of" the flange and connecting said uprightportion and said tip, said upright portion and said tip being substantially at right angles to the connecting portion.

4:. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange andhaving at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a

pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending over the upper surface of the flange and connecting said upright portion and said tip, and means on said slotted flange with which said connecting portion is in contact to retard frictionally the pivotal movement of the crossbar.

5. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending over the upper surface of the flange and connecting said upright portion and said tip, and upset means integral with said slotted flange with which said connecting portion is in contact to retard frictionally the pivotal movement of the crossbar.

6. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a cross bar pivoted at one end to one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending over the upper-surface of the flange and connecting said upright por tion and said tip, and parallel walls formed by upsetting one edge of the slot and the free edge of the flange, with which walls said connecting portion is in contact to retard frictionally the pivotal movement of the crossbar.

7. A shoe fornrcomprising a hollow walled toemember having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of sald flangeslntving a 1011- itudinall extendin slot therein and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance be tween the walls of the toe member, said-means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to body of the crossbar passing below the slotted flange and the upright portion passing upwardly through the slot to its joinder. with the connecting portion.

8. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending over the upper surface of the flange and connecting said upright portion and said tip, the body of the crossbar passing below the slotted flange and the upright portion passing upwardly through the slot to its joinder with the connecting portion, and the connecting portion above the flange being in a plane parallel to that of the body of the bar and at angle thereto whereby any tendency to shift the form rearwardly, while the tip is in engagement with the insole of the shoe, causes the connecting portion to shift laterally and increase the contact of the body of the bar with the underface of the flange.

9. A shoe form comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending over the upper surface of the flange and connecting said upright portion and said tip, the body of the crossbar passing below the slotted fiange and the upright portion passing upwardly through the slot to its joinderwith the connecting portion, and the connecting portion above the flange being in a plane parallel to that of the body of the bar and at angle thereto whereby any tendency to shift the form rearwardly, while the tip is in engagement with the insole of the shoe, causes the crossbar to twist and increases the contact of the body of the bar with the underface of the flange.

10. A' shoe form 7 comprising a hollow walled toe member having flanges at the lower edges of the walls, one of said flanges having a longitudinally extending slot therein and movable means connecting said flanges and adapted, when moved, to determine the distance between the walls of the toe member, said means consisting of a crossbar pivoted at one end to one flange and having at the other end an upright portion which passes through the slot in the other flange, a pointed tip which projects below the slotted flange and is adapted to engage the insole of the shoe in which the form is placed and a portion extending over theupper surface of the flange and connecting said upright portion and said tip, the joinder of the upright and connecting portions acting to hold the tip yieldably in the functioning position.

' Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts this sixth day of December, 1929.

' WILLIAM J. DE WITT. 

